This invention relates to a method and apparatus for running wireline and reeled tubing into and from a wellbore, and a stuffing box for use in connection therewith.
Downhole well operating tools are often used in completed wells for performing several functions. Typically these tools are lowered by a wireline into a downhole location and, after the work is performed, they are retrieved, or pulled, from the wellbore by a pulling tool or the like, also connected to the wireline.
Highly deviated and horizontal well completions have created the need for coiled, or reeled, tubing that does not rely on gravity for setting and retrieval of downhole tools. Reeled tubing has also proven to be advantageous from a time and money saving potential in connection with other operations such as sand washing with liquid or foam, fluid displacement, injection of parafin or corrosion inhibitors, spotting acid, light duty drilling of cement and the like, fishing operations, and flow line cleanout.
Since both wireline operations and reeled tubing operations have their separate and distinct advantages, it often becomes necessary to utilize both to service certain wells. For example, it is often desirable to utilize reeled tubing for performing a washing function, after which wireline is used for inserting and removing tools into and from the wellbore. In this example, a reeled tubing rig would initially be assembled over the wellbore, and would include a reeled tubing injector extending over a stuffing box which, in turn, is connected to a blow out preventor, or the like. A goose neck is usually connected to the upper portion of the injector for guiding the reeled tubing into the injector which injects the reeled tubing through the stuffing box and the blow-out preventor into the wellbore. After the operation utilizing the reeled tubing is completed, this rig has to be disassembled, and the components necessary to guide the wireline into the wellbore are assembled over the wellbore. These latter components normally include wireline blow-out preventor, one or more lubricator sections and a pulley, or the like for the wireline. It is apparent that the disassembly of the reeled tubing rig and the assembly of the wireline rig are very tedious, difficult, time consuming and costly.